37: Big Beat Cinema

Jan 23, 2025

Finn McCorry, a DJ and NTS host, dives into the fascinating world of Big Beat Cinema, a playful exploration of stylish heist films from the late '90s and early '00s. He discusses the vibrant interplay between big beat music and iconic movies like Ocean's Eleven, reflecting on the genre's decline and past popularity. The conversation touches on the unrealistic depictions of technology in films and critiques the commercialization of dance music in cinema. With humor and nostalgia, Finn reveals how these elements shaped our cultural landscape.

01:26:40

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ANECDOTE

No Tags on Letterboxd

The No Tags podcast has created a Letterboxd account and lists.
One list includes guest recommendations and another focuses on "Big Beat Cinema."

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ANECDOTE

Pandemic Film Club

Finn McCorry and Tom discuss their pandemic film club, watching multiple films nightly.
They maintained a spreadsheet of film ratings, leading to disagreements.

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INSIGHT

Big Beat Cinema Defined

Big Beat Cinema, coined by Finn McCorry, explores the connection between 2000s heist films and big beat music.
Films like Ocean's Eleven, The Italian Job, and The Matrix exemplify this micro-genre.

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Launching the No Tags Film Season and Letterboxd Community

01:51 • 3min

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Big Beat Cinema: A Nostalgic Exploration

04:47 • 18min

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Exploring Early 2000s Tech in Film: The Hacker Archetype

22:58 • 3min

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Exploring Big Beat Cinema

25:41 • 30min

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The Dance Music Evolution in Film

55:50 • 8min

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Big Beat Cinema: A Cultural Collision

01:04:19 • 20min

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Supporting the Podcast and Exploring Big Beat Cinema

Published in 1957, 'On the Beach' is a tragic and introspective novel that follows the lives of a mixed group of people in Melbourne as they await the arrival of deadly radiation from the Northern Hemisphere. The story is set in 1963, a year after a worldwide nuclear war, and explores how each character copes with the impending doom. The main characters include Commander Dwight Towers, a U.S. Naval Officer, Peter Holmes, and Moira Davidson, among others. Despite the looming catastrophe, the characters continue their daily lives, engaging in activities such as gardening, socializing, and even organizing a car race. The novel highlights themes of self-destruction, the destructive relationship between humans and technology, and the importance of simple pleasures in the face of mortality. The title and epigraphs from T.S. Eliot's 'The Hollow Men' underscore the somber and reflective tone of the book.

The Bourne Identity

Robert Ludlum

The Bourne Identity follows Jason Bourne, a man with no memory who is found with bullet wounds and a microfilm frame implanted under his skin. He discovers a Swiss bank account in his name and embarks on a journey to uncover his past. Along the way, he encounters a Canadian economist, Marie St. Jacques, and must evade numerous assassins and conspirators. The novel delves into a complex web of espionage, double identities, and a cat-and-mouse game with the infamous Carlos the Jackal. Unlike the film adaptations, the book explores deeper moral complexities and a more intricate plot.

Published in 1993, 'Trainspotting' is Irvine Welsh's first novel and is set in the late 1980s in Leith, Edinburgh. The book is a collection of short stories narrated in a mix of Scots, Scottish English, and British English. It follows the lives of Mark Renton and his friends, including Sick Boy, Begbie, and Spud, as they navigate heroin addiction, violent behavior, and personal struggles. The novel is known for its dark humor, vivid characters, and non-linear narrative structure. It has been praised for its raw and honest portrayal of addiction and its impact on individuals and communities.

The Bee Sting

Paul Murray

Heat

An Amateur's Adventures as Kitchen Slave, Line Cook, Pasta Maker, and Apprentice to a Dante-Quoting Butcher in Tuscany

Bill Buford

In 'Heat', Bill Buford recounts his experiences as he leaves his job at the New Yorker to work in the kitchen of Mario Batali's restaurant Babbo. The book is a blend of memoir, travelogue, and gastronomical history, detailing Buford's apprenticeship with Batali and his further explorations in Italy. Buford learns the intricacies of Italian cooking, from pasta-making to pig butchery, and delves into the history and culture of Italian cuisine. The narrative is filled with humor, insight, and vivid descriptions of the culinary world, making it an engaging and entertaining read.

The novel follows an unnamed protagonist struggling with insomnia and a meaningless corporate job. He finds relief by attending cancer support groups, but his life changes when he meets Tyler Durden, a mysterious and charismatic figure. Together, they establish an underground fight club, which evolves into 'Project Mayhem', a cult-like organization aimed at dismantling modern society through chaos and public unrest. The book explores themes of toxic masculinity, consumerism, and the search for meaning in a postmodern world.

Heroes of the Computer Revolution

Steven Levy

Robin Hood, prince of thieves

Cynthia Harrod-Eagles

Mad Max : Fury Road

Alix Olson

Triple X

Naoto Nakagawa; Reiko Tomii; Alexandra Munroe; John Perreault; Eric C. Shiner

This week we kick off the first ever No Tags film season! Based on an original idea by DJ and NTS host Finn, Big Beat Cinema is our attempt to identify and decode a much-loved and entirely made-up micro-genre.

We begin by outlining the core canon and basic tropes of BBC, paying particular attention to the ultra-stylish heist movies of the late ‘90s and early ‘00s – think Ocean’s Eleven, Mark Wahlberg’s The Italian Job, Snatch and even The Matrix.

We also try to explain why big beat – the sample-flipping, chart-dominating, Hawaiian shirt-wearing sound of the millennium – became so integral to these movies’ portrayal of cool guys pulling off implausible heists.

From zany editing to Junkie XL, from Paul Oakenfold to the politics of cool, and from Skint Records to the correct shade of denim, this first episode lays out the core principles of BBC.

Let us know what you think in the comments – including on our Letterboxd list, where you can check out the full selection of BBC contenders, from Shallow Grave to Kneecap.

Get full access to No Tags at notagspodcast.substack.com/subscribe

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